How to Get More Downloads for your Accommodation Mobile App?

20th July 2017

Have you published a mobile app for your hotel, hostel, holiday home or Airbnb? Great, but now what? Creating and publishing an app is the first step, but in order to make the most of it, you need to let your guests know that it exists and remind them whenever you possibly can. Of course, spamming them will be unnecessary. Your app has to become a full part of your accommodation and your communications.

#1 - Face to face and on the phone

If your app has just recently been published, do not hesitate to say so to your guests, whether it is when they check in or when they are calling. If you have employees working for you, you can to ask them to mention the app to your guests when they check in or on the phone prior to their arrival. It is an easy way to remind them that they can download it and improve their experience.Give them an incentive by explaining what they can get by downloading the app - check in information, WiFi password, places to see etc.

#2 - In your emails

This is the most obvious one. The links to download your app should be present in your email communications. You can include plain text links or add download buttons but it needs to be there. You can put the links in the core of your message in your confirmation emails after your guests have booked and encourage them to download the app - again, let them know that it will make their stay easier. An easier way is to add them to your signature, like in the example below.

#3 - On your website

If you have a website for your accommodation, link your mobile app on it. Your website is the vitrine of your business and should inform your visitors and guests of the existence of your app. Using the “Get it on Google Play” and “Download on the App Store” buttons will make it more visually appealing.

Generate an App Store button: Click here- Select United-Kingdom and Apps as a Media Type. Then search for your app, click on it and click on “badge” to get the code for your button.

#4 - On your social media pages

Usually, you can only have one link on your social media profiles and that would most likely be your website. However, there is a way to promote your app easily even with this limitation:

For Facebook: Create a post and pin it to the top of the page. Log in to your Facebook page. Write a post and includes the links to download your app. Use bit.ly to shorten your links. We recommend to use a visual to get more attention, you can use our template below. Once it is published, click on the arrow on the top right of the post and click on “Pin to top of the page”.

For Twitter: Tweet and pin it to the top of the page. It is the same idea as the Facebook post. It is going to be slightly more challenging as you will be limited to 140 characters - again, bit.ly will come in handy. Again, we recommend a visual - you can use the same for Twitter and Facebook.

Example:

NEW: we now have a mobile app that you can download prior to your stay ?. Download it on Google Play and the App Store to get all the information you will need for your stay. ➡ Google Play: [link to your app] ➡ App Store: [link to your app] [Add visual to the post]

#5 - On your printed communications

If you have any kind of brochures or flyers, make sure that when you reorder them, you ask that they include your app. That also includes your guest information book! Again, You can simply have the Google Play and App Store buttons added at the bottom. Since you cannot put a link on a brochure, you should also have the full and exact name of your app so your guests have no troubles finding it. Another convenient solution is to generate a QR code for your app that your guests can scan. It will redirect them to your app: